Spout for bag filling



June 2, 1936. M. A. NICOLAS SPOUT FOR BAG FILLING 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 12, 1935 INVENTOR.

M47651 4. Mam/M ATTORNEY.

June 2, 1936. M. A. NICOLAS SPOUT FOR BAG FILLING Filed Sept. 12, 1955 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. M/MCEZ ,4. M60145 ATTORNEY.

June 2, 1936.

' M. A. NICOLAS 2,042,858

SPOUT FOR BAG FILLING Filed Sept. 12, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. A/Afifl A. M00013 ATTORNEY.

Patented June 2, 1936 SPOUT FOR BAG FILLING I Marcel A. Nicolas, Buffalo, N. Y., assignor to Bagpak, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation r of Delaware Application September 12; 1935, Serial No. 40,205

12 Claims. (Cl. 248'101) The present invention relates to filling machines for filling openmouth bags, particularly heavy duty, multiply paper bags adapted to contain from fifty pounds up to one hundred pounds ormore of material; i

Y There are now in use oval filling spouts, such filed December 17, 1934. It will be noted that the bags adapted to be filled thereon are of such size that the inwardly extending .gussets do not materially approach the center line of the bag and that therefore the corners of the bags may be gripped during the filling operation, as described. However, in some bags the side walls forming-the gussets are substantially the same width as the front and rear walls of the bag between which the gussets are'folded. In the use of such a bag it will.be appreciated that. the bags may not be gripped at the upper corners, as disclosed in the aforementioned application, because the gussets will block, or at least will materially obstruct, the opening between the gripped corners,. and in many cases there is not enough clear space through whichto fill the bag.

.It has heretofore been the practice to form a rigid filling spout about which the mouth of the bag may be drawn and clamped by suitable means.

However. inorder that this may be accomplished, the filling spout has been made with a smaller cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of the bag, thereby constricting the fill-;

The present invention has for its object the provision of a filling spout which may be collapsed to form a very small wedge-shaped-tip about which the bag may be very easily positioned, and

which may be opened to form a spout of the same or substantially the same cross-sectional area as the cross-sectional area of the bag- Asecond object of the present invention is todevise a filling spout such as theforegoing in which the operation of opening the spout after positioning the bag causes the bag to be clamped in proper position. Specifically, the invention comprises a filling spout having at least one swinging leaf forming a side wall which is associated with a bag clamp cooperating with the swinging leaf and against which the'bag is clamped by the action of swinging the leaf to its outer position. The

invention also comprises the provision of the swinging leaf 'and fixed clamp in combination with a fixed leaf and swinging clamp, or a second swinging leaf and fixed clamp, all of which are operated by the same operating handle.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout:

Fig. 1 is aside elevation of one form of the device in closed or bag receiving position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the device in 10 open or bag clamping position;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section taken on the line 3- 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a second form of the device showing it in closed or bag receiving posl- 15 tion; I

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the device in open or bag clamping position; i

Fig. 6 is a cross-section taken on line 66 of Fig. 5; and r Fig. 7 is a'front elevation of the device in open or bag clamping position.

Referring to Figs. 1, '2, and 3, the simplest form of the device is disclosed. The device comprises a hopper 20,- the lower end of which terminates 25 in a. rectangular depending portion 2| of substantially the same cross-sectional area as the cross-sectional area of the bag. It will be appreciated that various sizes of bags may be used on the one spout but that its maximum efliciency 30 will be realized if designed for a particular bag. The rear wall 22 of the portion 2| extends lower than the front wall 23, and an extension 24 is bent'angularly forward toward the center line of the spout. The side walls 25 extend toward the 35 lower edge of portion 24 and are provided with barblike terminals 26. The portion 24 is cut away as at 21 whereby the material falling through the spout is not greatly restricted in its. flow.

The movable leaf 30 comprising the side of the spout opposite wall 22 is provided. with a front wall 3| and side walls 32 extending about and embracing the side walls 25. The front wall 3| extends above and in front of the front wall 23 of the fixed portion and a substantially horizontal half-round bar 33 is welded or otherwise fixed to its outer face adjacent its upper edge. Brackets 35 fixed to the front wall 23 and hopper 20 are provided with angular notches 3B, the lower portions of which are shaped to form a bearing seat for the half-round bar 33. The bar 33 forms a pivot about which the leaf 30 may swing, the upper portion of notch 36 providing clearance for the upper portion of the leaf. The lower tip of the leaf swings against the edges of side walls whereby the barbs 26 may guide the mouth of p the bag around the leaf.

The leaf is operated and the bag is clamped by a lever 40 which may be termed a floating lever inasmuch as it is not pivoted to any fixed point. The forward extremity of lever 40, and it will be appreciated that the Opposite side of thespout is provided with a similar lever 40 connected in similar fashion, is provided with an operating handle 4I. Levers 40 extend to, and are pivoted to, links 42 which are fixed to a rock shaft 43 carried by brackets 44, mounted upon the side walls 25, and brackets 45," mounted. upon the rear wall 22 and the hopper 20. The rock shaft 43 is fixed to clamping levers 46 which carry clamping blocks 41 formed of material which will resist slippage of the bag from between the blocks and the rear wall 22. Materials such as rubber, leather'and the like are. preferable. Pivoted to an intermediate point alongthe lever 40:are toggle links 50, the free ends of which are pivotally attached to blocks 5| welded to the. outer surfaces of the side walls 32'of-the'leaf. A toggle locking abutment 52 is mounted upon the upper edge of lever 40 above the end of toggle link'50 which is attached to the leaf, and extends inward whereby to engage the upper edge of the link 50 when the handle is in the position of Fig. 2. A brace53 is attached to but spaced from the side wall 22 and the side of bracket in order to provide a rigid structure having clearance for the upper end of the side wall 32. A rod 55 extends between the levers and is engaged (in the position of Fig. 1) by a holding seat 56 in the upper end of a holding lever 51 pivotally mounted upon'a rod 58 extending between the brackets 35. A spring 59, retained by a guiding pin 60 mounted on the hold- -inglever 51, urges the lever 51 outward. .The

rod 55 is seated in the notch 56 and the levers are resiliently urged toward'the left of Fig. 1 by the spring 59 thereby holding leaf '30 in the position illustrated and clamping lever 46 in the position illustrated. a

- The lower ends of brackets 35 are provided with threaded openings through which a threaded clamping member 66 is adjustably passed and locked in position by lock-nut 6|. The clamping member is provided with block 62 similar to block 41. l

The operation of this device is as follows: The operator moves levers 40 to the position of Fig. "1 where they are held by the holding lever 51. It will be appreciated that the rod 55 engages the surface of holding lever 51 which naturally-snaps into-the notch 56 since the leaf 30 must swing inward to permit movement of lever 40 and since it is limited in its inward movement by the edges of side walls 25. The clamping blocks 41 are thereby spaced from the rear wall 22, providing a space to receive the rear wall of the'bag which is now positioned about the spout'.' Downward pressure on levers 40 removes rod 55 from the' notch 56 and causes link to approach allignment with lever 40, thereby swinging the leaf 30 outward. The locking abutment 52 locks the link 50 and lever 40 in parallel'relation' and, since the lever 40 is now positively limited in forward movement by the pivoting bar 33, the levers 46 are forced to the position of Fig. 2. The bag is therefore clamped between the fixed rear wall 22 and the movable clamping blocks 41 and between the movable front wall 3| and the fixed.

clamping blocks 62. The bag is now filled and released upon upward movement of levers 40.

A modification of the device is shown in Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive. This form of the device comprises a hopper I00 which terminates in a rectangular portion IOI having a front wall I02, rear wall I 03, andside walls I04 preferably extending slightly lower than the'front and rear walls, The lower edges of the side walls I04 extend upwards a short distance angularly from the front and rear walls, then downward diagonally toward the center line of the-spout.

In this form both the front and the rear walls are pivoted to clamp the bag against fixed clamping blocks. The front portion of the spout comprises a leaf IIO having a front wall II I and side walls H2, and the rear portion of the device comprises a similar leaf II4 having a rear wall H5 and side walls I I6. The adjacent edges of the side walls H2 and H6 are adapted to be brought together when'thedevice is in the position of Fig. 4, as will be explained. The side walls I12 and H6 extend above and about the lower edge of the fixed side wall I04 and'the upper'edges of the side walls are downwardly recessed so that the front wall III may be substantially in vertical alignment with the fixed front Wall I03, and the rear wall I I5 in substantially vertical alignment with the fixed rear wall I02, when the spoutisin-the position of Fig. 5, and so that the leaves maybe swung inwardly as illustrated in Fig. 4. I

The leaves are operated by floating levers 120 having an operating handle I2I at' their forward extremities. The levers I20 are pivoted to toggle links I22, each of which extends to and is pivoted to a member I23 welded or'otherwise aflixed to members I24 are pivotally connected to brackets I26 fixed to the rear wall I02. Upon movement of levers I20 from'the position of Fig. 4-to the position of Fig. 5 the toggle formed by link I22 is straightened-,thereby forcing the leaves H0 and. I I4 to pivot about the pivots I21 and I28, respectively. The connection of link I22 tolever I20 is preferably by means of an eccentric adjusting pin I30 provided with an angular end I3I which may be engaged andturned by a spanner or other means andwhich is locked in position by a lock-nut I32.- Thedownwa'rd movement of levers I20 is limited by a rod I33 extending therebetween and engaging adjustable abutments I34 carried by thebrackets I25. The levers i20 are,

retained in-the position of Fig. 4 by engaging a locking notch "I35 in' a cam I36 mounted upon the front wall I03. The lower extremities of brackets I25 are provided-with threaded openings through which are adjustably passed clamping block holding members I40 each provided with a clamping block I4I of rubber, leather,

or other suitable material, and the lower extremities of brackets I26 are similarly provided with adjustably mounted clampingblock holding members I42 each provided with similar clamping blocks I43. p A

The operation of this formof'the device is as previously described in that the operating levers are swung to the position of Fig. 4 and heldby the locking notch I35, thereby holding the swinging leaves II 0 and II4 in position to provide a very small tapering or wedge-like tip about which the bag is easily positioned. The operating levers are now pulled downward to the position of Fig. 5, thereby swinging the leaves outwardly and causing the upper edge of the bag to be clamped between the front wall Ill and the clamping blocks Mi and between the rear wall H5 and the clamping blocks, I43. After the bag is filled the levers I20 are raised, thereby releasing it to be progressed into a closing machine.

It will be noted that both forms of the device provide the advantages of ease and rapidity of applying bags, rapidity of filling due to the larger filling opening made possible, and retention of the shape of the bag due to its being suspended adjacent its four corners.

Other and further modifications and alterations in detail and arrangement may be apparent to those skilledin the art and such alterations and modifications are intended to be included inthe scope of the following claims:

I claim:

1. A spout for, filling open mouth bags comprising a fixed clamping member, a swinging leaf forming a wall of the spout adjacent said clamping member, and a linkage connected to said leaf whereby said leaf may be swung inwardly to decrease the size of the spout and permit ready insertion thereof into the mouth of a bag, and whereby the leaf may be swung outwardly to clamp a side of the bag between said wall and said member.

2. A spout for filling open mouth bags comprising a fixed clamping member and a movable clamping member, a swinging leaf forming a movable wall of the spout adjacent said fixed member, a fixed wall of the spout adjacent said movable member, and a linkage connected to said leaf and to said movable member whereby said leaf may be swung inwardly to decrease the size '01 the spout and to separate said movable wall from said fixed member andsaid movable member may-be simultaneously swung outwardly to separate the same from said fixed wall, and

whereby said leaf may be swung outwardly to clamp a side of a bag mouth between said movable wall and said fixed member and said movable member may be simultaneously swung inwardly to clamp a second side of the bag mouth between said movable member and said fixed wall.

3. A spout for filling open mouth bags comprising a fixed clamping member at one side of the spout and a second fixed clamping member at the opposite side of the spout, a swinging leaf forming a wall of the spout adjacent the first member, a second swinging leaf forming the opposite wall of the spout adjacent the second member, and a linkage connected to both of said leaves whereby the leaves may be simultaneously swung inwardly to decrease the size of the spout and permit ready insertion thereof into the mouth of a bag, and whereby the leaves may be simultaneously swung outwardly to clamp the sides of a bag mouth between said walls and said members.

4. A spout for filling open mouth bags comprising a fixed clamping member, a swinging leaf forming a wall of the spout adjacent said clamping member, a toggle linkage connected to said leaf whereby said leaf may be swung inwardly upon movement of said linkage in one direction in order to decrease the size of the spout and permit ready insertion of the spout into the mouth of a bag, and whereby the leaf may be swung outwardly upon movement of said linkage in the opposite direction in order to clamp a side of the bag between said wall and said member, a latching device to hold said linkage at the limit of its movement in the first direction, and means to hold said'linkage at thelimit of its movement in the other direction.

5. A spout for filling open mouth bags comprising a fixed clamping member and-a movable clamping 'member, a swinging leaf forming a movable wall of the spout adjacent said fixed member, a fixed wall of the spout adjacent said movable member, a toggle linkage connected to said leaf and to said movable member whereby said leaf may be swung inwardly upon movement of said linkage in one direction in order to decrease the size of the spout and to separate said movable wall from said fixedmember and said movable member may be simultaneously swung outwardly to separate the same from said fixed wall, and whereby said leaf may be swung outwardly upon movement of said linkage in the opposite direction in orderto clamp a side of a bag mouth between said movable wall and said fixed member and said movable member may be simultaneously swung inwardly to clamp a second side of the bag mouth between said swinging member and said fixed wall,'a latching device to hold said linkage at the limit'of its movement in the first direction, and means to hold said linkage at 'the limit of its movement in the other direction.

6. A spout for filling open mouth bags comprising a fixed clamping member at one side of the spout and a second fixed clamping member at the opposite side of the spout, a swinging leaf forming a wall of the spout adjacent the first member, a second swinging leaf form ng the opposite wall of the spout adjacent the second member, a toggle linkage connected to both of said leaves whereby the leaves may be simulta neously swung inwardly upon movement of said linkage in one direction in order to decrease the size of a spout and permit ready insertion thereof into the mouth of a bag, and whereby the leaves may be simultaneously swung outwardly upon movement of said linkage in the opposite direction in order to clamp the sides of a bag mouth between said walls and said members, latching means to hold said linkage at the limit of its movement in the first direction, and means to hold said linkage at the limit of its movement in the other direction.

7. A spout forfilling open mouth bags comprising a pair of fixed clamping members, a swinging leaf forming a wall of the spout located with its edges adjacent said clamping members, and a linkage connected to said leaf whereby said leaf may be swung inwardly to decrease the size of the spout and permit ready insertion thereof into the mouth of a bag, and whereby the leaf may be swung outwardly to clamp a side of the bag at spaced points between said wall and said members.

8. A spout for filling open mouth bags comprising a pair of fixed clamping members and a pair of movable clamping members, a swinging leaf forming a wall of the spout with its edges located adjacent said fixed members, a fixed wall of the spout with its edges located adjacent said movable members, and a linkage connected to said leaf and to said movable members whereby said leaf may be swung inwardly to decrease the size of the spout and to separate said movable wall from said fixed members and said movable members may be simultaneously swung outwardly to separate the same from said fixed wall, and whereby said leaf may be swung outwardly to clamp a side of a bag mouth at spaced points between said movable wall and said fixed members and said movable members may be simultaneously swung inwardly to clamp a second side of the bag mouthzatspaced points between said movable members and said fixed wall.

9. A spout for filling open mouth bags comprising. a pair of fixed clamping members at one side of the spout and a second pair of fixed clamping members at the oppositeside of the spout, a swinging leaf forming a wall of the spout with its edges located adjacent the first members, a second swinging leaf forming the opposite wall of the spout with its edges located adjacent the second members, and a linkage connected to both of said leaves whereby the leaves may be simultaneouslyswung inwardly to decrease the size of the spout and permit ready insertion thereof into the mouth of a bag, and whereby the leaves may be simultaneously swung outwardly to clamp the sides of a bag mouth at spaced points between said walls and said members. 10. A spout for filling open mouth bags comprising a pair of fixed clamping members, a swinging leaf forming a wall of the spout with its edges located adjacent said clamping members, a. toggle linkage connected to said leaf whereby said leaf may be swung inwardly upon movement of said linkage in one direction in order to decrease. the size of the spout and permit ready insertion of the spout into the mouth of a bag,-

and whereby the leaf may be swung outwardly upon movement of said linkage in the opposite direction in order to clamp a side of the bag at spaced points between said wall and said members, a latching device to hold said linkage at the limit of its movement in the first direction, and means to hold said linkage at the limit of its movement in the other direction.

11. A spoutfor filling open mouth bags comprising a pair of fixed clamping members and a pair of movableclamping members, a swinging leaf formingamovable wall of the spout with its edges located adjacent saidfixed members,

a 'fixed wall of the spout with its edges located adjacent said movable members, a toggle linkage connected to said leaf and to said movablemembers whereby said leaf may be swung inwardly upon movement of said linkage in one direction 5 in orderto. decrease the size of the spout and to separate said movable wall from said fixed members and said movable members maybe simultaneously swung outwardly to separate the same from said fixed wall, and whereby said leaf may be swung outwardly upon movement of said linkage in the opposite direction in order to clamp a side of a bag mouth at spaced points between said movable wall and said fixed members and said movable members may be simultaneously l5 swung inwardly to clamp a second side of the bag mouth at spaced points between said swinging members and said fixed wall, a latching device to hold said linkage at the limit of its movement in the first direction, andmeans to hold said linkage at the limit of its movementin the other direction. v a

e 12. A spout for filling open mouth bags comprising a pair 'of fixed clamping members at one side of the spout and a second pair of fixed clamping members at the opposite side of the spout, a swinging leaf forming a wall of the spout with its edges located adjacent the first members, a. second swinging leaf forming the oppositewall of the spout with its edges located adjacent the second members, a toggle linkage connected to both of said leaves whereby the leaves may be simultaneously swung inwardly upon movement of said l nkage in one direction in order to decrease the size of the spout and permit ready insertion thereof into the mouth of a bag, and whereby the leaves may be simultaneously swung outwardly uponmovement of said linkage in the opposite direction in order to clamp'the sides of a bag mouth at spaced points between said walls 40 and said members, latching means to hold said linkage at the limit of its movement in the first direction, and means to hold said linkage at the limit of its movement in the other direction.

. MARCEL A. NICOLAS. 

